Love is an incredibly powerful emotion and it isn’t always rational! It can make you feel on top of the world but it can also cloud your judgement and make you act out of the norm.
If you feel you’re over-invested in your relationship and have lost perspective of it, read on for twelve telling signs that indicate you could be blinded by love.
What does blinded by love mean?
When you are blinded by love, it means you are so infatuated with your partner that you lose sight of the reality of your relationship, causing you to act irrationally and illogically. This type of love can be so intense that you may overlook a heap of red flags and negativity in your relationship, unable to see them objectively.
In an attempt to maintain your relationship, you make choices that aren’t in your best interest, no matter how unhealthy and damaging the relationship has become.
Being swept off your feet and all the romance that comes with it is all good and jolly – even healthy! However, once you start to lose yourself and lose control of all sense – the line between being in-love and being blinded by love has been crossed!
Is love blind? 12 telling signs you are blinded by love
1. You ignore bad behaviour
One of the most common signs of being blinded by love is that you tend to sweep problems under the rug and ignore bad behaviour from your partner. This can be anything from physical, emotional and verbal abuse all the way down to hurtful comments, disrespect, deception and uncalled for outbursts. Such concerns shouldn’t be left unaddressed and Ignoring these major red flags will only enable the behaviour to carry on in the future.
2. You make excuses for bad behaviour
On top of ignoring it, if you find yourself making excuses to justify your partners bad behaviour, it’s a sure sign you’re love blind. Rather than coming to terms with the facts and seeing the nature of the situation, no matter how absurd it is, you rationalise it. It’s important to remember that no matter how much you love someone, it doesn’t make their hurtful behaviour acceptable or something to be excused.
3. Losing interest in your hobbies and other interests
When you’re inlove, it can be easy to allow it to consume you – often leaving no room for other interests. If you find yourself ignoring your social circles and forgetting about your own personal interests, dreams and hobbies, this could be a sign that you’ve been blinded by love. It’s important to remember to feed your self-care and do activities that fulfil your happiness!
4. You feel fearful you'll lose your partner
When you’re blind in love, you may become overly attached to the relationship and fearful of losing it. This can manifest itself in a number of ways, from holding back your true feelings, opinions or accepting your partners needs without asking for any of your own in return. Acting out in this way creates an imbalance in your relationship allowing your partner to take advantage of you.
5. Choosing to ignore concerns from family and friends
How can you tell when you’re truly blind in love? If your family and friends are voicing their concerns about your relationship and you choose to ignore them. An excessive amount of criticism from those closest to you serves as a major warning sign! Choosing to brush them aside will only cause friction with your loved ones and worsen your relationship with your partner further down the line.
6. You have low self-esteem in their presence
If your partners words or actions cause you to feel unworthy or insignificant, it can take a hit on your self-esteem when you’re around them. And if you choose to ignore such hurtful behaviour, it could have a detrimental affect on your mental health and well-being, leaving you blind to love and trapped.
7. Neglecting friendships and other relationships for the sake of time with your partner
Whilst it’s natural and healthy to prioritise your partner, there’s a thin line between a good balance when you’re blinded by love. It is possible for love to blind you from recognising when an imbalance has occurred in spending quality time with family and friends too.
If spending too much time with your partner has caused a distance from your loved ones, it’s high time you realise you’ve gotten too deep and lost in your relationship. Take a step back and always nurture your other relationships to keep your mental and social well-being in check!
8. You are too attached to your partners decisions and opinions
When you are blinded by love you may find yourself almost exclusively agreeing with your partners decisions, opinions and likes instead of forming your own. This is especially concerning if your relationship lacks thoughtful communication and healthy conflict solutions. Becoming too attached to your partners preferences and disregarding your own will make you feel meaningless and small and shift the power dynamics in your relationship!
9. Negative feelings remain unaddressed
No matter the strength of your relationship, negative feelings and concerns are bound to arise from time to time. If you find yourself brushing off these emotions, or if your partner doesn’t seem to care or is unwilling to confront and work through them with you, it’s quite obvious unhealthy patterns in the relationship have surfaced.
Yes, love is blinding, but don’t be afraid to talk to your partner about your feelings – communication and honesty are key to a healthy strong relationship!
10. You're always trying to please your partner
Don’t be so blind to love that you rely so much on your partners validation with all your energy and attention centred around making them happy. They shouldn’t be your only priority. So if you’re constantly bending over backwards to please your partner at the expense of doing things that bring you joy, you’ve truly become blinded by love.
It’s important to maintain an independent sense of self when in a relationship. Try setting boundaries with your partner so that both of your needs are being met without either one of you sacrificing your happiness.
11. Only one person compromises
If you’re relationship is one sided and you find yourself compromising without batting an eye, you’ve most definitely been blinded by love. A healthy relationship should maintain a clear line of communication and mutual agreement with both parties equally compromising on matters, no matter how big or small.
12. You make big decisions early on
Move in together, buy a house, have a baby! The excitement of a fresh new relationship has endless possibilities and can have you making big decisions too early into it. Without getting a full grasp on how the relationship will hold up, these decisions could prove to be the wrong ones later on.
Tread carefully and be realistic in your relationship. Making impromptu decisions doesn’t always end badly, but if you’re blinded by love, it can cause unnecessary complications!
How to love without being blinded by love
Not all love is blind but it can still make you do crazy things! By recognising the signs of being blind in love you can set a plan in motion to overcome or prevent love blinding you.
- Practice self love and create a deep connection with yourself.
- Don’t put pressure on yourself by trying to do more than you can.
- Take a step back and re-evaluate your relationship.
- Reset your expectations without compromising your worth.
- Do not let go of your own life, goals and needs if it serves your happiness.
- Realise your value and don’t stand for anything less than you deserve.
- Set boundaries where necessary and make sure they are being respected.
- Maintain good communication between you and your partner from the get go.
- Be open to receiving honest feedback from trusted family and friends.
- Work through problems together with no judgment and full support.
Final thoughts on being blind in love
Love is blinding and it’s a powerful emotion. It can have you feeling like your best self just as much as it can drive you to complete obliviousness!
Be sure to take on board these 12 signs so you can proceed with caution and identify the difference between real love and blind love.